Victim of fatal Derry Township overdose was warned of drug's potency

Westmoreland County prosecutors said Monday that a Christmas Eve decision to sell drugs to a Derry woman two years ago was both fatal and tragic.

Assistant District Attorney Jim Lazar told a Westmoreland County jury that Michelle Spillar, 38, died Dec. 26, 2017, from drugs sold to her by an acquaintance of her son’s best friend, with whom she stayed with over the holidays as they both battled addiction.

“This case is all about addiction. To feed it, individuals will do what they can instead of spending time with their families on a special day,” Lazar said.

Lazar’s comments came during the opening statements in the drug delivery resulting in death trial of Dylan Blair, 23, of Saltsburg, Indiana County, who is accused of selling the drugs that caused Spillar’s death.

Lazar told jurors Spillar’s roommate also purchased drugs from Blair, watched her buy the heroin and warned her about its potency after he was revived following an overdose.

Two days later, Spillar was found dead, face down on the floor in a bedroom at a home in Derry with one used bag of heroin nearby and two others that had yet to be consumed. The prosecution contends the drugs sold to Spillar were tainted with fentanyl.

The drugs, stamped with the name “Head Games” and a skull-like picture, were identical to heroin police said was sold two days earlier to Spillar’s friend, Lazar said.

He told jurors that witnesses, including Spillar’s roommate, who, himself bought 11 bags of heroin from Blair with a $100 Christmas gift he received from his grandmother, is expected to testify when the trial resumes Tuesday afternoon before Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani.

Defense attorney Emily Smarto told jurors that Spillar’s autopsy revealed she died of a combination of drugs and, because of that finding, Blair should be found not guilty. An analysis of Spillar’s blood determined there were several different drugs, including fentanyl, in her system when she died, Smarto said.

“This prosecution lacks evidence. This prosecution can’t stand,” Smarto said.